Kinnettles Gold Scottish Grown Tea is one of those teas that you have to admire. It is one of those teas you will be scared to brew, afraid you might ruin the rare opportunity. Kinnettles Gold Scottish Grown Tea is one of those teas that will teach you how nothing is impossible and how certain teas are more expensive for a reason.
The Fear of Brewing
First, you see the price of the tea and you think, wow, this tea must be really rare and amazing. I saw the packaging first – yes, it looks luxurious, with effort put into every single detail. It doesn’t carry the name gold for no reasons. I was very afraid to try this tea, maybe that’s why I was postponing the review. I thought, if I have 5 grams of tea only, I need to be very careful with it. And today was the day. I opened the package and there it were, two tiny little packages with amazing scent. Deepness of black tea with flowery surface, incredibly fresh. Carefully packed into 2.5 grams each, sealed and protected.
Name: Kinnettles Gold Scottish Grown Tea 2017
Tea Vendor: PekoeTea Edinburgh (UK)
Producer: Kinnettles Farm Angus
Type: Scottish black tea
Kinnettles Gold Scottish Grown Tea Facts
This Kinnettles Gold Scottish Grown Tea is from 2017 harvest, grown in Scotland (of course), hand-rolled and available only in small packages of 5 or 20 grams. Only 1.5 kilo of this tea has been produced, and judging on the flavour and experience it offers, price is justified. 5 grams costs 8 GBP (around 10.7 USD) and 20 grams (tin) costs 30 GBP (around 40 USD). 2.5 grams are enough for one brewing session.
Leaves are small, elegant, twisted with a few white tips. They look more on the ordinary side, and it is amazing how much beauty and joy they hide. Still, the amazing scent lets you guess what a cup will hold.
Overcoming the Fear
Brewing: 2.5 grams, 150 ml, 100 degrees Celsius, 3,4,5 minutes
I gathered all my courage and opened the small package. I preheated the teapot and placed those small leaves inside. And, oh, the wonder was alive – how amazing can a scent be. At first I would say, malty Assam tea soaked for days in maple syrup.
The first steep is full and aromatic, reminds me a bit of Ai Lao Hong Cha from PekoeTea. Full with buttery finish and light airy start. Sweet. There is no bitterness at all, what one might expect from brewing tea at 100 degrees for 3 minutes. It leaves a very interesting long aftertaste. Color is intense orange. After the second steep leaves start to get chocolate notes. I might like this second steep even better. Second steep is much warmer, has a buttery chocolate feeling to it, it feels quite full and buttery for a black tea. It’s lightly sweet and gives a nice aftertaste.
It’s very interesting, if not rare, to find a tea that can stand so many minutes at 100 temperatures. Leaves still smell amazing even after the third steep. Even the third one shares the same characteristics. It does get lighter, but still has a same feeling as the second one.
This tea has so many tiny nuances that can make a tea drinker happy. I wouldn’t call it a morning tea, I wouldn’t call it an afternoon tea, but rather a luxurius tea dessert for special moments. It’s unlike other standard teas, and it offers a lot in all aspects. Do I recommend it? Yes I do. But, be aware, you might get hooked.
